Thousands patronize Upper West People's Assemblies

Delays in the release of feeding grants to Senior High Schools, poor performance of road contractors and lack of irrigation facilities to promote dry season farming, dominated issues raised at this year's Peoples Assembly in the Upper West Region.
The various Districts' Assemblies held saw thousands of people in the region interacted with ministers of state, District Chief Executives and heads of key departments and agencies demanding answers to the issues, which also included the lack of electricity and delays in the payment of personnel of the National Youth Employment Programme.
Jirapa, Nadowli, Lawra and Lambussie Districts took their turn to hold this year's people's assemblies on Wednesday and Thursday.
At Jirapa two people demanded answers why Mr Edward Salia, Member of Parliament for Jirapa Constituency has failed to utilize his Common Fund of about 86,000 Ghana cedis, but the MP was not around to answer.
Reacting to the questions, Mr Clement Eledi, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture explained that the event was not meant for MPs to answer questions and therefore all questions at the People's assemblies ought to be directed to the DCEs and Ministers of State who were representing the President.
Mr George Hikah Benson, the Regional Minister explained to the people that the rising oil price and food prices were responsible for the recent challenges in the world economy and must not be seen as if it was the doing of a single country.
He said they should, therefore, not allow themselves to be deceived by those who were trying to use it as a political weapon to make political gains.
Mr Hikah said the government was sensitive to the plight of the people which explained why the President announced the mitigation measures against the harsh effects of the global problem.
Mr Godfred Bayon Tangu, Minister of State at the Transportation Ministry enumerated a number of measures that the government was taking to develop roads in the region to catch up with those in other parts of the country.
He urged the people to acknowledge the good work that the Government has done for the region.
He told the people that, "positive change did not mean that the Government would print money and doled to people,” and added the introduction of the Metro Mass Transit buses, which have made travelling in the region easier as an example of that change.